GAYA: In a swift development, governor-cum-chancellor D Y Patil, late on Tuesday, removed Magadh divisional commissioner R K Khandelwal, as the interim Magadh University (MU) vice chancellor and elevated Pro-VC Nandji Kumar to the post of interim VC. The governor's official spokesperson, ShivdeepLande, confirmed the removal of Khandelwal and appointment of Nandji Kumar in his place.

According to Rajbhawan spokesperson Shivdeep Lande, Munindra Kumar, professor, department of botany, MU, has been made Nalanda Open University interim VC and Syed Jalil Ahmad, professor of English, B N Mandal University, Madhepura, has been made interim VC of the Patna-based Maulana Mazharul Haq Arabic and Persian University. Both Kumar and Ahmad replace Patna divisional commissioner ELSN Bala Prasad.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court took serious view of the violation of its order mandating the appointment of senior-most faculty member as the VC during the pendency of the petition seeking the removal of VCs appointed by the then governor Devanand Konwar in alleged violation of the provisions of the Bihar Universities Act, 1976, stipulating the appointments to be made by the chancellor in consultation with the state government.

In the light of the SC order, C P Singh, claiming to be the seniormost dean of the university, was appointed as the interim VC of MU in March, 2013, but Singh's seniority was challenged by Nandji Kumar, professor, PG department of botany. The seniority list provided to the chancellor's office subsequently showed several teachers being senior to Singh. Failing to solve the MU seniority puzzle, the governor-cum-chancellor, about three months back, appointed Magadh divisional commissioner R K Khandelwal as the MU interim VC. During the last two hearings, the apex court expressed its unhappiness over the appointment of a career bureaucrat as VC.

The apex court on Wednesday was informed that Khandelwal has been removed as the MU interim VC and Pro-VC Nandji Kumar has been appointed in his place.

RELATED

From around the web

More from The Times of India

Recommended By Colombia

From Around the Web

More From The Times of India

Recommended By Colombia

Comments

Characters Remaining: 3000

OR PROCEED WITHOUT REGISTRATION

Share on Twitter

SIGN IN WITH

FacebookGoogleEmail

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Islamic State on Thursday officially claimed responsibility for a gun and bomb assault in the centre of Jakarta earlier in the day that killed seven people, five of whom were attackers.

Launching a fierce attack on the ruling Badal family in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urged people to oust the Badals from power, saying the once progressive state was on the verge of ruin.